Hello!  And happy Thursday to you!

One of the really cool thing about going to an art show opening (besides fabulous hors d’oeuvres) is getting to hear the artist speak about his or her work and process.  It always amazes me!  I’m an artist, so I often think I know how all artists think and act, but that is rarely the case!  Each artist approaches life and creating differently.  Which is why I’m so very excited to get to share this interview from designer, photographer, and artist,  Roma Jakubow.  Her work is so crazy interesting to me because she finds design and composition in every day places, and uses color and line to create amazing pieces of art out of things I might overlook.  Enjoy!

What led you to become an artist?
Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been drawing, creating, and experimenting with visual art forms. I took many art classes and courses in my youth. In University I studied Interior Design/Arch. in Canada and Australia, and then moved on to study Graphic Design, New Media, and Creative Arts.

Now I work as a independent design consultant, and dip my toes in many aspects of the design world. I started my Etsy page as a creative outlet for those times when I feel the real world of budgets, restrictions and not-so-adventurous clients suffocating my creativity. My artworks help me put visual ideas to life; the ones that run around my head from anything and everything I’ve noticed or observed throughout the day.

Where do you get your inspiration?
There is not one specific source for my inspiration, nor can I pinpoint where I mostly get my inspiration from. The reason is that my inspiration really comes from all around me. I love to travel, and often find inspiration in the colors and textures of a new culture and landscape, but I can just as easily find inspiration from the way the light and shadows fall on the sidewalk on my morning runs. I’m almost overly visually stimulated by the world around me, and am constantly observing and absorbing the smallest details or a change in perspective.

What other artists/designers do you admire?
I’m a big fan of Art Museums, and love both the modern or historical types. If I had to narrow it down to a few, I’d have to say I love the dreamlike scenes of Salvadore Dali, the architectural graphics of Wim Crouwel, and the out of the box buildings of Zaha Hadid. Having lived in Sweden has also given me a strong appreciation for Scandinavian design – with its clean, minimal and sophisticated aesthetic.

Can you briefly describe your artistic process?
My artistic process usually starts with my notebook. A simple image or note on a page, of something I’ve observed throughout the day that has caught my attention.

Eventually, when I have a little time, I open my notebook and further explore an idea or thought I have jotted down either on a piece of paper or in a computer program. I like the immediate visual satisfaction I can get from creating things on my computer. Programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator let me play with combinations and concepts and shuffle them around all on one page. You do, however, need some sort of direction before heading straight to the computer. Otherwise you could spend hours going in circles and not going forward. The computer is the tool that helps me visually organize all the ideas in my head and and further experiment with them, bringing them to life.

Check out more of Roma’s fine art prints in her shop, and her graphic design portfolio on her website:  www.romadesignworks.com

Have a wonderful Thursday!  The weekend is coming!!